


take me back to the light

by super_leaf



Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending, DINLUKE, Denial of Feelings, Din and Grogu reunion, Din and Luke are both very respectful of each other and their cultures, Din has anxiety, Din is bad at flirting and oblivious to his feelings, Din using the Darksaber but ignoring the fact that he’s the king of Mandalore now, Feelings Realization, Good Parent Din Djarin, Hurt Luke Skywalker, Leia and Din interaction and yes they will become good friends idk I just want them to, Luke has ptsd, Luke is still a badass though dont worry, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Protective Din Djarin, Slow Burn, Sorry I kind of abuse Luke in this fic, Sorry if I wrote some things wrong I’m new to the Star Wars fandom, This fic is just angst and a slow burn but idk what I’m doing
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 16:00:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29887002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/super_leaf/pseuds/super_leaf
Summary: After countless restless and lonely nights, Din needs a distraction. Hoping accepting a bounty offer will help him focus and clear his mind, Din just ends up even more confused when the bounty is a rescue mission to save Luke Skywalker- the very man who’s been running through his mind lately for whatever reason Din is too afraid to figure out.Rescuing Luke is only the beginning though. The Jedi and the Mandalorian find their paths entertwined, unable to leave one another’s side, and for no reason either of them can quite explain.
Relationships: Din Djarin/Luke Skywalker
Comments: 30
Kudos: 49





	take me back to the light

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I’m extremely insecure about this fic but I spent way too much time on it to not post it! I don’t quite know where this story is going or how long it’s gonna be, but I hope you guys enjoy it and stick with me for this wild ride!  
> After watching all the Star Wars movies and the Mandalorian, I fell in love with Dinluke and could not stop thinking “wow I need to write something about these two. I love them so fucking much.”  
> This chapter is kinda lame I guess? But please it’s just the beginning bear with me 🥺
> 
> Follow me on Tumblr! I post art on there including Dinluke stuff! @oleafia-art

One month had passed since the days on the Razor Crest, days where Din felt the constant stress and anxiety of protecting the one thing he’d held dear to him. One month had passed since the days on the Razor Crest, where Din had never felt such love and deep adoration for another living creature since his parents’ deaths. One whole month since the days of The Child, his soft coos the only solace he was granted in the cold and solitary belly of the ship. 

Grogu was safe now. That’s all that mattered.

This was what Din had to remind himself at least twenty times a day. What he repeated to himself as a mantra, laying awake in bed, his skin feeling cold and face oddly naked without the comfort of his helmet, despite being alone in the dark, away from any prying eyes. 

Often times during these sleepless nights he distracted himself with thoughts of the Jedi too, on nights where thinking about Grogu hurt him so much that he felt like he was drowning in his own sorrow. He needed an anchor, something other than his longing to have his son back in his arms. Din had supposed that thinking of the Jedi would arouse some deep anger in him, and maybe his hatred and grudge for the younger man would steer him away from his own grief and misery.

But something burned in his belly whenever he thought of the Jedi with the sandy blond hair, the impossibly blue eyes, and the cloak that shrouded him like the sky on the darkest nights. Something burned within him and he wasn’t sure what it was. He wanted to think it was anger, resentment, hatred even. But he’d felt hatred before, felt it like a stroke of fire that scorched and tore away everything in its path, had felt it when he’d kicked the Moff aside and torn the Darksaber from his hands, desperate to save his son.

No, this wasn’t like that. It was warm and burning, a bit uncomfortable even, but it wasn’t a violent pain. It felt full and round, and although it made him a bit nauseous it was oddly comforting and that disturbed him more than anything. 

Din groaned once more as he rolled onto his back, rubbing his eyes until his vision blurred. He didn’t want to think about the Jedi. He didn’t want to think about Grogu. Anxiety stirred within his chest as he thought of the Darksaber, tucked safely under his mattress. He’d have to do something about that eventually. But he didn’t want to think about the weight that it carried, it’s meaning and it’s significance. He wasn’t ready. The responsibility of it all made him sick with worry.

It was suffice to say Din Djarin desperately needed a distraction. 

***

Old habits die hard. This was a given. When Din had told himself he needed a distraction, his first thought wasn’t a vacation or some time alone to relax, but to pick up a job at the guild. 

Bounty hunting wasn’t fun, per se, but it was a distraction. Running from the imminent fear of death while chasing down equally as terrified criminals was certainly one way to quiet the voices in his head. At least the ones fixated on Grogu and if Grogu was learning a lot, if he was feeling okay, if he was sleeping well, eating well, if he missed Din just as much as Din missed him. 

Surely the Jedi and his teachings would provide Grogu with a distraction from his loneliness. Din could only pray that picking up another bounty would provide him with the same sort of distraction. 

And so Din rode through the Nevarro desert, speeder slowing to a stop as he neared the edge of town. He parked the dusty old vehicle and brushed the sand off his cape, adjusting the fabric so it flowed behind him in the dry wind. Shifting his beskar spear from his back to his hand, he wandered into the pub, a dimly lit establishment where fellow bounty hunters and guild members meandered about, many looking for a fight. Din gripped the spear a little tighter, and hovered a stray hand over the Darksaber attached at his hip, but as he entered the vicinity, he was greeted with nothing but a few respectful grunts of approval and a loud cheer from an older man in the back of the room.

Greef Karga, that was a face he hadn’t seen in a while. The man was grinning, clearly thankful to see Din in all the glory of his shining beskar armor, as he strode toward him with open arms. 

“The Mandalorian returns!” He exclaimed.

Not one for physical contact, Din offered him a hand instead, which the older man shook graciously. 

Clearing his throat was a challenge after not using his voice for so long. It had been months since he’d had another living being to talk to, having almost completely isolated himself after Grogu was taken from him, even from people like Greef and Cara, who were certainly worried about his well-being after such an event. His voice sounded meek in his own ears when he spoke. “Thank you for letting me meet you here.” 

Greef nodded, his dark eyes full of sympathy. “Of course,” he said, and when he spoke his voice was gentle. He lead Din to the table in the back of the room he had been sitting at earlier, and the armored man took a seat across from him. “I know you’ve been having a hard time dealing with the child’s absence. Truthfully, I’ve been worried about you,” he said, eyes shifting to his hands, which were neatly folded together in his lap. “But it’s nice to see you’re back. Taking a bounty will be a good distraction, I’m sure.”

Din could only nod in response. “That’s what I’m hoping for. I don’t care about the money, I just need to be back in a ship, doing something, anything, no matter the physical toll or the danger.”

Greef took a breath. “Understandable. You haven’t heard from him at all?”

Din felt his heart leap, and he shook his head. “No. No, not yet.” It had only been a month since Grogu had left with the Jedi, but he hadn’t received any form of communication from the man and his son. He remembered Ahsoka telling him that attachments were forbidden to Jedi, but surely the man could’ve reached to him by now and at least told him if his son was okay?

Greef’s face fell and he nodded. “Those Jedi take that no attachment stuff pretty seriously,” he said, his words echoing Din’s thoughts. With a hefty sigh, he settled his hands on the table, fingers tapping the surface. “Well, and that brings us to the topic of your bounty. I’ve found a rather large one for you, my Mandalorian friend. In fact, this person asked specifically for you, Din Djarin.”

Din’s heart plummeted and his throat went dry. How did this person know his name? Why would they request him? He hadn’t been an active guild member since before he found Grogu. “I don’t understand..” he said, voice trailing off. 

Greef raised his eyebrows, clearly just as confused about the situation as Din was. “Hey, I’m just the messenger. Of course you don’t have to take this job, but you were specifically requested by Senator Leia Organa herself.” He slid a puck across the table, and Din caught it with ease. He narrowed his eyes behind the helmet, reading the number flickering in blue above the puck. 

His mouth opened despite himself, shock rippling through him. Although the name Leia Organa meant nothing to Din, the way Greef spoke of her meant that she was clearly an important political figure, and she was offering an incredible amount of credits for whatever job this was requesting. He knew politicians went after rivals all the time in the dirtiest of ways despite their holier-than-thou facade, but the situation still eluded him. 

“Okay so what’s the job?” Din asked warily. If Organa wanted him to go after someone and was willing to pay him this much for it, his job would certainly not be easy. He couldn’t help the anxiety that stirred in his stomach, a mix of anticipation and apprehension. 

“That’s the thing,” Greef said, his tone equally as wary. “When Organa made this request, she made it imperative that I do not discuss any of the details of the job with you here. She wants to meet you in person for that.” 

Once again, nothing quite made sense. Before Din could turn down the offer, Greef held a hand up in interruption. “She told me that she needed you specifically, that you’re the only one who could do this job. She said you are her only hope.”

Din’s eyes widened, and although he knew Greef couldn’t see his change in expression, he could tell the older man sensed his anxiety and shock. “So I have no choice in the matter.”

Greef smirked. “For that many credits? I wouldn’t care what her demands are, I’d take it,” he said, but then his expression darkened. “But yes, I believe you do not. Unless you want to let a powerful New Republic senator down. Which, uh, given your current situation,” he gestured at the Darksaber which rested like a ton of bricks on Din’s hip, “would not be ideal.” 

Din let out a heavy sigh, but who was he to complain? This is what he signed up for, after all. This is what would distract him from the absence of his son, from the nightmares of his past, from the Jedi and his impossibly sky blue eyes that always seemed to linger in the back of his mind for far too long. 

“Alright. I’ll take it.” 

Greef grinned and gave a curt nod. “Perfect. We’ll have a ship ready for you tomorrow morning. Prepare for a trip to Coruscant.”

***

Din and Greef arrived in Coruscant after only a few hours of space travel. Greef had routed and guided him while Din sat in the control seat. It felt good to piloting a ship again, although he missed the simplicity and comfort of the Razor Crest. The model Greef had brought was newer and had more controls than Din was familiar with. Still though, the ride was smooth and they got to the glimmering planet in one piece and on time. 

They docked their ship and began to head to the location Senator Organa had promised to meet them. Din was put at ease by the comfortable silence they shared, as Greef knew better than to prod him with questions when environments such as this stressed Din out so much. They wove through crowds of a diverse array of beings, speeders whipping through the air overhead, high rise buildings touching the sky and blinking with artificial lights above. Din found it hard to breathe here, and his helmet felt uncomfortable on his head, which was always an odd and unwelcome feeling.

When they arrived at the steps of a wide and sleek dome covered building, a woman, who Din presumed was Senator Leia Organa herself, was standing at the bottom of the steps, her pose rigid and hands clasped, but her gaze authoritative. She was dressed in an all white ensemble and had her hair braided back into a low bun that sat heavy at the nape of her neck. 

When Din approached her, nodding respectfully as a greeting, he noticed her expression. She was clearly trying to keep a neutral expression, but he could see the thin lines of worry that traced her mouth and the dark circles under her eyes and the red puffy lids that indicated she was deeply troubled. All things considered, she was a lot younger than Din had expected, and beautiful even, something about her giving him a comforting feeling of deja vu, as if he’d seen her somewhere before. 

“Senator Leia Organa,” he stated simply. “I’m here to accept the job you offered.”

“Din Djarin,” she greeted in return. His heart plummeted with the instinctive fear he always felt when someone said his name. He thought about asking her not to say his name so nonchalantly, but he hesitated knowing she was in a position of power, and that realistically, he had no place correcting her like that. 

The Senator gestured towards the building. “Unfortunately we can’t discuss matters out here. This job is too important to me. If the wrong ears overheard,” her voice trailed off and she shook her head, failing to finish her sentence. “Come on, let’s go inside.”

Din and Greef followed dutifully behind Organa as she lead them through the winding halls of the building, until she turned a sharp corner which lead into a darkened corridor. The room she entered was small and clearly had no significant purpose, but a small table was featured in the middle, and she took a seat, motioning the two men to join her.

Din clenched his jaw with anxiety. Despite his own qualms, he spoke. “With all due respect Senator,” he began, voice managing to barely waver. “How do you know my name? I never share that with anyone, not unless I’d trust them with my life.”

To Din’s suprise, she gave him a warm and sympathetic, albeit a little sad, smile. “Well that brings us to the topic of your job, doesn’t it? As you know, I didn’t just choose any bounty hunter for this job, someone requested specifically for you, and I’m just relaying the information. They, of course knew your name.”

Din’s heart dropped in his chest. “Who?” He asked tentatively. “Who asked for me?”

“Your son,” Organa said, as if it was the most simple and most obvious fact in the world. 

Din felt his breath hitch in his throat for a second, his heart hammering against his breastplate armor. Grogu had asked for him. But how did Organa know this? Where was the Jedi? Where was Grogu? Was he alright? A million questions swam through Din’s helmeted head and he felt dizzy, clenching his hands into fists to keep himself grounded. 

“How do you know Grogu?” He asked, a little more forcefully than expected. He couldn’t help the surge of protectiveness that had swept over him. “Is he okay? Where is he? How did he contact you?”

Organa shook her head. “He reached out to me through the force. He asked for you. He said Luke was in trouble, that he’d vanished and hadn’t come back for a few days, and he needed someone’s help, and he asked for his father, Din Djarin.” 

Beside him, Greef tensed. “Luke...Luke Skywalker?” 

Who the hell was Luke Skywalker? Where was the Jedi who was supposed to be taking care of Grogu? Where was Grogu now? Was he safe? Din’s head ached. So many questions, and Din didn’t know what to ask first. He started with the simplest. “Are you...are you a Jedi?” 

Organa let out a small laugh. “No, not really. I am force sensitive though. I usually only use the force to communicate with my brother, so I was quite suprised to hear another voice other than his in my head.”

So Organa had a Jedi brother. How many Jedi were out there? The Jedi who had taken Grogu, someone named Luke who clearly worked with the Jedi who Din had met and was now gone, and Organa’s brother, as well as Ahsoka... 

“Where is he?” Din asked tentatively. “My son, Grogu, is he alright?” He dug his fingers into the palms of his hands, anxiety rushing through him like a violent wave.

“He’s alright, and he’s safe,” she assured him, her words quick and calm. “He’s actually here, if you want to see him. He’s been resting. I’ve been taking care of him while we waited for you to arrive.” She gave a small sad smile and a little laugh. “He’s quite the handful. Not sure how Luke was able to teach him anything at all.”

Din felt his mouth go dry with shock. Grogu was here? Grogu was safe. “I’m...” Din stuttered out, the words failing. “I would love to see him, if you don’t mind. But, I’m still confused, Senator. What is my job? Where’s the Jedi Grogu was given to?”

Leia Organa blinked in suprise, tilting her head as if confused. “Did my brother not tell you anything? That’s strange, with how much he talks about you and Grogu, I thought he would’ve...never mind.” She shook her head in confusion but continued speaking. “Luke Skywalker is the name of the Jedi who was training your son. He’s my brother, my twin brother...” her voice trailed off, her eyes brimming with tears that threatened to fall.

“How did you not know who Luke Skywalker is?” A bewildered Greef whispered to a dumbstruck Din while they waited for Organa to compose herself and continue her explanation. 

Din only shrugged and shook his head. Realization dawned on him. No wonder Organa had seemed so familiar, she and the Jedi- Luke Skywalker -shared the same soft facial features and the same determined expression and hopeful eyes. 

“Clearly something happened to Luke. He had left the temple he and Grogu were at to go investiagate a potential threat, and after three days he never returned. Grogu spoke to me and pleaded for me to get you to come save him and Luke. I sent some soldiers to retrieve the child, and they found him just fine. He’s pretty shaken up, but he’s physically fine. No one hurt him. But he’s very worried about his master. They found no signs of Luke on the planet,” she said solemnly, her eyes narrowing.

“A few days ago we received an unknown message with Luke’s coordinates. He’s being held somewhere, but we don’t know who has him, if he’s alive, what they’re doing to him,” her voice trembled, but she kept it steady enough to finish her sentence. “You should know that I would’ve gone in a heartbeat and tried to save him myself, but going in by myself would be reckless and stupid. Especially since the Senate is keeping a close eye on me, and is trusting me to be the lead by example for the New Republic. Grogu told me you would be able to find Luke and save him.” 

Din drew in a shuddering breath. So Organa had hired him not to kill a political opponent, but to save her brother. He knew what it felt like to lose family, knew the feeling more than anything in the world, and although she sat across from him, her face stoic and posture straight, he knew she must be feeling absolutely heartbroken on the inside. She had also been taking care of his son, and was offering to let them reunite. A wave of respect and admiration for the Senator shot through him and he nodded dutifully.

Besides, Organa had called Grogu Din’s son, and Din Grogu’s father. Somehow that one statement made him absolutely willing to put all of his trust and faith into her without a second thought. 

“Will you still accept the job?” She asked, her voice pleading. “I know it’s dangerous, but I’m willing to pay you anything, everything even, to find my brother and get him back here alive.”

Din would be heartless to turn down her request. He nodded respectfully, and he watched as her tension eased at his agreement. “Of course. He’s my son’s teacher, and obviously you and Grogu care a lot about him. I’ll make sure to get him back to you alive and well.”

She gave him a soft smile. “Thank you,” Organa spoke softly. She stood up and held her hand out, which Din shook firmly after standing as well. Her grip on his hand was steady and self-assured and there was no doubt that she had been born to lead and command. This reassured him even more, and he was thankful he had accepted an offer from someone like her and not one of the sleazy backwater people he had dealt with in the past.

Besides, Grogu’s teacher was in danger. Din couldn’t deny how much he missed Grogu, but his son’s education was crucial, and he wouldn’t let his opportunities be stripped away from him again, and so soon. 

And there was also the small annoying fact that Din wouldn’t mind seeing the Jedi’s sky blue eyes again. 

Senator Organa’s expression softened and she smiled warmly. “Come on, I’ll bring you to your son.” She gestured out the door and Din dipped his head respectfully as he headed out.

“Thank you, Senator Organa.”

She nodded in response. “You’re welcome. But please, you can call me Leia.”

***

If Din had been anxious before, he was even more anxious now as Leia lead he and Greef to Grogu’s nursery in the back of the building. Although he knew they were all just his own deep senseless fears, he couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that what if Grogu’s Jedi training had changed him so much that he forgot who Din was? It certainly hadn’t been that long, but Din couldn’t shake the fear of looking into his son’s eyes and him not meeting his gaze with the same love and affection he had for him in the past.

Jedis were all about no attachments, right? That fact certainly didn’t ease Din’s baseless worries.

Leia gave him another warm smile as she opened the door to Grogu’s room, as if she could sense his anxieties over this long awaited and unexpected reunion. 

“Take all the time you need,” she said as she motioned towards the crib in the center of the room. “Your friend and I will wait out here until you’re ready to go.”

Din breathed out a sigh of relief. She was giving him space to take his helmet off in front of the child, in front of his son. She was making sure that her presence, as well as Greef’s, did not get in the way of such a special moment. A surge of gratitude washed over him and he nodded in response. 

“Thank you again,” he said softly, stepping into the room, and closing the door gently behind him. 

Din took a second to compose himself, heaving a heavy sigh. Ever so slowly, he removed the helmet, setting it on the ground beside his feet. “Grogu?” He asked quietly, not sure if his son was sound asleep or not. He took a few ginger steps towards the crib. “It’s me...it’s your dad. I’m here.” 

Almost instantly, all of Din’s senseless fears and anxieties faded away when the impossibly large, dark eyes of his beloved son peered up at him with wild curiousity. Then, as if a moment of realization came over the young child, he let out a little coo of ‘patu’ and a grin spread over his chubby green face. 

Din stepped closer and Grogu continued babbling, raising his little arms up, a signal that meant he wanted Din to pick him up and hold him. 

“Hey there kiddo,” Din said softly as he picked his son up, Grogu’s tiny clawed hands reaching and resting on Din’s face. “I missed you too.” He planted a small kiss on his son’s forehead, and Grogu let out an affectionate coo in response. 

He stood there for a minute, holding Grogu close to his chest, the child’s hands still resting on the scruff of his face as if to make sure his father was really here. Din only then realized he was crying softly, tears streaming down his cheeks endlessly, when Grogu let out a sad little coo, as if to say ‘what’s wrong, Dad?’

“No, Grogu,” he explained. “I’m fine, I just, gods, I just, missed you so much, kiddo.” Din couldn’t even explain the feeling blossoming in his chest at the moment, a whole month’s worth of despair and loneliness finally toppling off his shoulders. He felt..whole again.

But this moment could not last forever. Din had a job to do, and a dangerous one at that. There was no guaranteeing that he would come back alive. He shook that thought away. No. He had to come back, for Grogu. There was no way he could die and leave his son alone forever. 

“Grogu,” he said, his more serious tone making his son raise his head, large emotional eyes widening, and ears perking up in curiosity. “I know about your teacher...about, uh, Master Luke. You were very brave to reach out to the Senator. I’m sure Luke will be very proud of you, and I want you to know that I’m extremely proud of you too. And I love you, more than anything. You’re my son. You’re my clan.” Din took a moment to compose himself and wipe away a few stray tears before continuing. “I’m gonna go find and rescue your Jedi teacher, okay? And Leia is gonna watch over you. Maybe she’ll teach you some Jedi...tricks, or uh, I’m sorry I don’t know what Jedis do, but you get the idea,” Din said with a weak laugh. “I’ll be back in a week, at the most.” 

Grogu peered up at his father and whimpered softly, but his expression wasn’t sad. If anything, it was filled with understanding and pride. Grogu had trust in Din that he would succeed and return with Skywalker. His heart soared with love and pride for his son, the small Jedi had already learned so much and Din could tell there was deep wisdom in him despite his childlike demeanor. 

Din could’ve stayed like this for an eternity, holding Grogu against his chest and rambling to his son about whatever thoughts crossed his mind, knowing full well that all he would hear in reply were gentle coos and little babbles. He felt the tiny clawed hand reach up and tap his nose gently, Grogu’s way of getting his father’s attention when he was too lost in his own invasive thoughts.

“Are you trying to tell me everything’s gonna be okay?” He asked and Grogu gently nuzzled his head against Din’s nose, an extremely affectionate gesture that made him want to cry all over again and hug his son and never let go. 

But at some point he had to let go. It broke Din’s heart, but even this small reunion had restored Din’s confidence in himself, and he knew now that if he succeeded, he would be able to see Grogu again. And knowing that his son had faith in him too made the task at hand much less daunting.

Planting one last kiss on his head, Din sat Grogu back in the crib, letting his son get one last look at his bare face before he reached for the beskar helmet on the floor, and set it firmly back on his head. 

Grogu cooed softly and Din turned to leave, but stopped suddenly in his tracks when he remembered a small round object that had been practically burning a hole in his pocket for the past month. He pulled the tiny silver ball out and held it out in his palm, turning back to face Grogu, who peered up at him with wide and expressive eyes, his tiny mouth drawn in a little frown.

“For you,” he stated. “I think you could use it for your Jedi practice.” 

He watched with awe, even though this wasn’t the first time he’d seen it, as his son raised his little arm and closed his eyes, the ball suddenly levitating in the air and landing comfortably in Grogu’s little hands. With the ball clutched in his tiny claws, Grogu’s face lit up with an expression of pure gratitude and joy, and he made a sweet cooing sound. 

“Of course, you’re welcome, you little womp rat,” Din replied with an affectionate laugh. He gave a small wave and Grogu continued to blink lovingly at him. Right before reaching the door, Din turned around once more to glance at his son. 

“Don’t forget, I’m coming back. I may be gone for a little while, but I’m never going to ever really leave you,” he said softly, reassuringly. 

He lingered at the door for a few seconds more and then a little later, right before leaving, said, “this is the way.” 

***

After the reunion with Grogu, Din had boarded the ship Leia had set up for him immediately. She had given him the coordinates to Skywalker’s unknown location and wished him well on his journey. Greef had bid his goodbyes as well and left for Nevarro. 

Din would be lying if he said he wasn’t scared. Sitting in the cockpit of the ship, everything was silent as he made his way through empty space. The coordinates were telling him to go far out of the Core, almost to the edge of the Outer Rim. Anxiety clawed at his stomach and he took a heavy sigh. 

Although he didn’t know what to expect, he would try to make the mission as quick as possible. No matter what he faced, he could take it. He was armed to the tooth, covered head to toe in beskar and carrying various weapons including the Darksaber itself. He knew that the assailants, whoever they were, wouldn’t be prepared. They would be expecting the Senator, but instead would be greeted with the arsenal of a Mandalorian instead.

The ship landed smoothly enough in a clearing, impossibly tall trees shielding the ship from all sides. The planet was rather small and seemed uninhabited by any peoples, but as he opened the hatch and stepped off onto the ramp, moonlight bathed the clearing, and Din could see unidentifiable creatures scampering across the forest floor. 

Unhooking the beskar spear from his back and clutching it tightly, Din started his trek. “Alright,” he said to himself, pulling up his tracker on his visor. He held his breath as the device scanned the area for life signatures. Off in the distance, three distorted shapes flowed red. Three life forms, all human. Assuming the coordinates were correct, Skywalker was one of the three life forms at the base. It seemed two people were holding him hostage, which were better odds than Din had predicted. 

However, he had seen the Jedi cut through an army of Darktroopers who had reprimanded Din and his entire team, like they were nothing. He found it hard to believe that two Imperial sympathizers or two bounty hunters, whoever they were, had managed to take down that same Jedi all on their own. Which meant they were accompanied by droids or Skywalker had already been injured before he was attacked. Din shook his head. He was wasting time thinking when he needed to be taking action. 

“Let’s make this quick,” Din muttered to himself as he powered his jet pack on and began lifting off the ground and into the sky above the trees. 

From this high up, he was able to see a small building that he assumed Skywalker’s captors were using as their hideout. It was unassuming enough, but Din’s tracker was beeping as he soared closer. He landed in a nearby tree, scanning the area closely.

Of course the hideout was guarded by droids. Not as large and menacing as the Darktroopers from Moff Gideon’s ships, no. These droids were smaller and slimmer models, but they carried hefty blaster guns and Din knew they were still dangerous. 

‘I don’t think they can see me,’ he thought to himself. They were pacing the floor outside of the building, but they definitely weren’t thinking of looking up. Din wasn’t comfortable being this high up, and he didn’t know how well the tree would support his weight. He twisted around to hold his wrist out, deploying his Whistling Birds to target the droids below. He watched with anticipating silence as the darts shot through the trees and down below, shooting straight through all five guard droids stationed below. The impact stunned them, metal crunching and sparks flying, and Din dropped from the branch and onto the forest floor, pulling out his blaster and shooting the three in front of him down. 

His breathing picked up as he heard two significantly larger droids behind him closing in on him. The darts had only nicked their metal. “Dank farrik,” Din cursed under his breath. He blasted the droid on his left a couple times until it toppled over, narrowly avoiding blaster fire from the one on his right. 

Anger surged through him as he stared into the soulless eyes of the droid and he swerved to avoid more fire, twisting around to blast the droid square in its face, knocking it unconscious. He let out an exhausted huff and stood still for a moment, scanning the area in case more droids were hiding, feeling the adrenaline in his body settle down and his heart beat slow to a steady pace.

The door to the building was clearly locked. His beskar or blasters wouldn’t be enough to break through. Under his helmet, Din chewed his lip. He stepped closer and fired blaster shots, all around the door, making sure that if there were security cameras, they were destroyed. Sure enough, he heard a shattering sound as two cameras were broken. He smirked and shook his head in humble triumph. 

“Alright, now how do I get in,” he whispered to himself. He narrowed his eyes and let out a small gasp when he saw a keypad, some kind of pad for an entrance code. He stepped forward and hesitated- not knowing what the code was or what numbers to push- and not knowing what would happen if he entered the wrong number. The pad also had a small red button for emergency dispatch- a way to voice message the people inside the building. 

Alerting the kidnappers that he was here wouldn’t make any sense, and Din knew better than to rush into a situation without a clear plan. 

Just to be safe, Din blasted the comms, and unsheathed the Darksaber from his hip. 

It hummed eerily and felt extremely heavy in Din’s shaking hand. It was midnight black and it glowed as if it had the power of a star system contained within its blade. The longer he stared at it in all its power, the weaker and smaller he felt, as its power was engulfing him, reminding him of just how small and insignificant and weak he was. He was no king. But here he was, wielding the weapon of one.

He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He tried to push aside his fears and gripped the handle of the blade tighter, feeling a rush of power and adrenaline course through him. “Come on,” he breathed, voice rasping with strain. “You’re supposed to be able to cut through anything.” 

Attaching his blaster back to his belt, he rushed forward, swinging the blade through the steel door, heart racing as the saber sliced through the door like it was made of rubber. He twisted his arm, bringing the blade around so the doors were cut in half, falling backwards with a heavy thud. 

For once in his life, Din felt stronger than anything or anyone in his path. Every waking hour since the death of his parents, no matter how calm and collected he had seemed to others, he had felt fear and anxiety deep within his heart. He knew it had controlled his actions and choices all his life. Grogu had brought him some peace, but he had also never been more terrified, concerned for his son’s safety and well-being along with his own.

Now, he shouldered his way through the hallway, the blade humming beside him. He felt lighter than air, as if he was floating, but he also felt heavy, his footsteps feeling like boulders tumbling into the sand. The surge of power he had suddenly attained from wielding the Darksaber was exhausting, and he realized how easily past rulers of Mandalore had turned to violence with a weapon such as this.

“And who the hell are you?” 

The voice belonged to a woman. She was standing at the end of the hallway, the lights flickering to reveal her bulky figure. She was decked head to toe in armor, a stark white design that reminded him of the armors worn by Imperial Stormtroopers. 

Din hesitated. He had to press his toes into the tips of his boots to keep him grounded, the saber humming with life and force and power and a strong desire to shed blood. 

“That’s not important,” Din responded, his voice echoing through the hallway. 

The woman stepped closer into view, revealing a large blaster rifle in her hands. She cocked it and rested her finger on the trigger.

“I’ll ask again,” she warned. “Who are you, Mandalorian, and why are you here? How did you find us?”

Din shook his head. “And I’ll say it again. You don’t need to know. Now, stand down. I don’t want to hurt you.” 

“You’re here for the Jedi, aren’t you?” She spat at him, raising the blaster higher, prepared to fire. “If you are, you’re not going to get him. We’re waiting for the Senator, not you, Mando.” 

Din sighed. “I thought I told you to stand down. I didn’t want to hurt you, but now you give me no choice.” Din didn’t rush forward, but instead pulled out his blaster and fired two shots, one hitting the woman square in her shoulder.

She let out a yelp and stumbled back, propping the blaster on her knee and using her good arm to fire poorly aimed shots at Din that ricocheted off the walls. Din used the Darksaber to block the blasts, and he headed forward until he was face to face with the armored woman.

He knocked the rifle out of her hand and pushed her back, until she was pinned to the wall. He held the saber to her neck, the dark blade humming with lethal intensity. 

“Where is Luke Skywalker?” Din demanded. 

She took in a shaky breath and he knew she was fuming, being held back so easily like this. If he had been anyone else, he was sure she would’ve counterattacked him, but the threat of the Darksaber and her fear of its power kept her still. 

“Down the hall and to the left.” Her voice was curt and filled with spite, practically spitting the words out with her contempt and being reprimanded so easily.

Din unsheathed the saber, the dark blade retracting back into its hilt. The armored woman slumped to the floor, resting her helmeted head against the wall. He turned the corner quickly and ran down the hallway until he reached a large room, the door locked.

Knowing now the power that the Darksaber possessed, Din didn’t hesitate, whipping the blade back out and slicing it through the doors. The rush of adrenaline was back and he could feel his head throbbing, as if using the weapon was requiring the use of all the energy in his body. 

As he entered the room, Din wasn’t sure what he had expected, but it certainly wasn’t this. 

Luke Skywalker, the man who had sliced through an entire army of Darktroopers with nothing more than the bat of an eye, the man with impossibly blue eyes that for some reason appeared to Din in his dreams like some sort of angelic omen, was suspended in the air, being held up by electrical chains that sent constant shocks throughout his body to keep him from struggling. His head was down, face shielded, mop of dirty blond hair hanging in his eyes. His clothes were torn and ragged and a nasty wound on his side was bleeding through the dark fabric. 

Best case scenario, he was unconscious. Worst case scenario, he was dead. 

Something stirred in Don’s chest, a strange sort of protective rage and he turned around to face the Imperial trooper, holding the Darksaber in front of him, his stance wide and battle ready. 

The man, like the woman, was fully clothed in Stormtrooper armor and had his blaster pointed at Din’s head. 

“Well you’re not the Senator,” he said sarcastically.

Din shook his head. “You should be glad I’m not,” he retorted. “You would’ve been dead before you even got the chance to speak.”

The man looked like he was about to reply, but Din pulled out his blaster with an uncanny speed and shot the trooper three times, square in the chest.

He let out a strained sound and a whimper of pain, blaster clattering to the floor before he too, fell with a thud. 

“I’m not in the mood for giving chances though,” Din said, holstering his blaster and running to Skywalker.

Din would’ve tried to reason with him, but that was before he had seen Skywalker’s condition. He had no time for pleasentries and negotiations when someone’s life was at stake, especially someone so beloved to and trusted by his son.

He could hear the blood rushing in his ears, his heart hammering uncontrollably. Skywalker’s body spasmed slightly with every electrical surge the machine sent through him, and it hurt Din to watch the man, who was supposed to be a powerful and unbreakable force, so shattered and broken. 

With one swipe of the Darksaber, Din cut through the machine, the metal creaking and collapsing, the electricity dying and burning out, Skywalker’s body going absolutely limp and falling. Before he could hit the ground, Din caught him, the impact of the Jedi’s body landing clumsily into Din’s arms sending him falling to the ground too.

Sitting on the floor, Din was finally able to get a good look at the Jedi. Skywalker lay limp in his arms, his head cradled against Din’s chest, his hand holding the back of his head up. Brushing the sweaty and sticky hair back from his forehead, Din could finally see his face, screwed up in pain, caked in dried blood and sweat, his eyes fluttering open.

The Jedi opened his mouth, trying to speak, but no sound came out. Din guessed he had overused his voice from screaming, and that thought made his heart sink into his stomach. 

Now Skywalker’s brilliant blue eyes were fixated on him now, and Din didn’t know what to say. His mouth suddenly went dry, and he couldn’t tear his gaze away from those eyes. He was thankful his helmet shielded his own shocked expression.

Composing himself again, Din shook his head. “Master Skywalker, I’m Din Djarin, Grogu’s father. I’ve come to rescue you.”

Skywalker gave a small smile and mouthed the words ‘thank you.’ His eyes were wide and watery and impossible blue and so so kind. Without warning, he closed his eyes, brows knitting together, and held his hand out, so much like how Grogu did. Din heard a whooshing sound, and the silver gilt of a lightsaber was pulled into Skywalker’s outstretched palm. Din held his breath, watching the younger man’s face with a curious intensity, but Skywalker’s face twisted with pain and his eyes rolled back into his head, his body going limp against Din once again.

Fear coursed through the Mandalorian’s body like a deadly poison. He attempted to shake the Jedi gently awake, but it was to no avail. He had gone unconscious again. 

Din shifted so that Skywalker was sitting upright, and he pulled his hand back from under his head. Turning his hand over, he saw that the palm and fingers of his glove were sticky and wet with fresh blood. 

Kriffing hell, Din thought. The Jedi had a head wound too, and seemed to be losing blood quickly. The whole situation just became a lot more dire.

Din heaved the Jedi’s body up, holding one arm under his legs and the other supporting his back. Skywalker wasn’t heavy, but he weighed more than Din had assumed he would. Despite his small frame, Din was sure he was toned and muscular from years of war.

“Alright, let’s get you out of here,” Din said to the unconscious Jedi. He turned around and ran as quickly as he could with the added weight, not looking back to check if either of the troopers had gotten back up and were following him. 

Din felt like he was holding his breath the entire time he ran through the darkened hallway, trying not to jostle Skywalker’s injured body too much. Finally, he stepped through the hole where the main entrance doors had been, and blinked furiously to adjust to the sudden light he was bathed in when he finally reached the forest clearing. The moon still shone high above, full and bright.

The trek through the forest wasn’t too bad, but Din wished he could’ve used his jet pack. He didn’t want to risk it malfunctioning and sending him and Skywalker crashing. He trusted the Jedi could make it until they reached the ship, so a long walk through the forest was their safest bet at the moment.

When Din finally reached the ship, he felt weary and weak, his limbs shaking. He hadn’t been injured in the fighting, so he guessed it was the Darksaber that had sapped his energy. He wasn’t quite sure how it worked yet, but it wasn’t a completely implausible theory. 

The ramp to the ship lowered and the hatch opened, Din rushing inside. He headed immediately to the med bay area, silently thanking the gods that Leia had provided him with a ship large enough to have one ready and open. He settled Skywalker onto the bed and then leaned back against the wall, taking a moment to breathe deep and shaky breaths before tending to the younger man’s wounds. 

As Din dialed in the contact number to reach Leia, he took another look at Luke Skywalker, his dark and bloodied robes a sharp and violent contrast against the stark white of the bed sheets. 

His heart twisted painfully and that same sudden wave of protectiveness came over him. Then came the thoughts, so unexpected and yet so welcome. Din thought about how he wished he could take all the power of the Darksaber and use it to heal him if he could. He thought about he wished he could sit in peaceful silence and watch Grogu train with Skywalker. 

And despite all the reasons he shouldn’t have thought this, Din wished Luke Skywalker’s impossibly bright impossibly blue eyes would peer up at him and be filled with love and full of the shine and beauty of every star in the galaxy. 

But Din shook those thoughts away as quickly as he could. He wasn’t sure where they came from and they sent a feeling of shock and anxiety rushing through him. With shaky hands he gathered all of the medical supplies he needed to tend to Skywalker’s wounds and sat patiently, head turned away from the injured man, awaiting Leia’s response.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you thank you thank you to those of you who read this! I wanna keep writing more, and I would really appreciate it if you could leave a comment telling me what you think and any critiques and opinions you have! Of course kudos are always appreciated too! 💖
> 
> Also just a quick thing: I tried to write Din as respectful and polite as I could. He calls everyone by their last name until they give him permission or he considers them a friend lol


End file.
